Fall From Grace
by Callista Gseran
Summary: What would have happened if Callista had been expelled from the order as a result of her actions in "Prelude to War"? A character study. Co-written by: Steffan Karrde, Jason Garrett, and Kyle Gibson.
1. The Fall

The darkness surrounded her, but she was not afraid, for the Force was with her. The room was a sharp image in her mind, though her eyes were closed. Her senses flared as someone else entered, and a chill crept up her spine.

The figure walked with confidence, long black cloak flowing behind him, and he approached the figure. "Speak. Who are you?"

Her voice was steady as she answered. "My name is Callista. I am but a student, sent here to learn." she opened her eyes and gazed at him, even though she could not see him, she could feel him.

"Is that so?" He peered into the very essence of the girl, "You...have potential...there is a dark seed inside you...what brings you here, how did you get here?"

She shrugged. "I come here to learn more of myself...how I came to be here is not important, what is, is that I am here now."

"Can you defend yourself?"

She rose, nodding. 'I can..." Twin purple blades sprang into existence as she readied herself.

He yelled and drew back, another figure appeared, less dignified, and an orange lightsaber ignited, "Then fight this initiate." The initiate lept forward towards Callista.

She stood her ground, and just as the initiate reached her, she whipped her blades out, catching him across the shoulder as she swept his feet from under him. He went down, but was up again, his eyes blazing. His saber whipped around, but she jumped above the strike aimed at her legs.

She lashed out with one of her sabers, cutting a deep gash into his other shoulder as she came down.

He threw his blade up in a guarding stance to catch the jumping blow, but failed to maintain it and her twin blades scorched both his arms, rendering them useless, his blade dropped to floor and so did the initiate, whimpering.  
Thus the first figure spoke "Pathetic idiot... he ignited his saber with his other hand and severed the initiate's head from the body, signifying ultimate disgrace."

Callista averted her eyes for a moment from the brutal display, but gazed steadily back at him afterwards.

The figure tumbled to the floor, and after gathering his composure and deactivating his saber, the figure spoke "That wasn't much of a display, but not on your part, you handled quite well." He stepped into visible lighting and removed his hood, "I am a Dark Lord of the Sith, and if you wish to be trained, then so be it" "You should do whatever unpacking you need to in the dormitory." She nodded, and exited the room in the direction of the dormitories.

The cool dark corridors of the building felt like they were closing in on her, and she fought urge to run. 'I came here for a reason, and I will stay...' The dormitories were in fact just that, a wide room with bunks and lockers, no sense of privacy whatsoever. Setting her bag down on an empty bunk, she sat down.

A young apprentice approached, he still had longish black hair and was relatively small in size, "A new one, what brings you here?"

She glanced up at him. "If only I knew..." her mind still reeled from the events surrounding her expulsion from the jedi.

She could still feel the youth's eyes on her as she relived that moment. She had been thrown out for killing a defenseless Sith.

"Stay on your guard if you wish to survive" the young apprentice said, "Not that I'm threatening you, its just the way things work around here, the strongest survive..the others become training practice." He began to walk away, leaving her to her thoughts. He turned around "Oh by the way, I'd get some rest or whatever, the new semester of training begins tomorrow."

Nodding, a small smile passed over her features. "Thanks for the advice." She stretched out on the bunk, her robes drawn around her, one of her sabers resting inside her sleeve should she need it.

The night turned to day, but little rest did come her way, kept reasoning her stay, though everything about the place caused her great dismay.

The initiates were rudely awakened while it was still dark. "All initiates to report to training area one, late arrivals will be not taken lightly." Was yelled by an instructor, of the solid "Master" rank. She tightened her robes and proceeded to the area, through various corridors. To find a large, adequately light classroom, where data terminals awaited, and an instructor arrived. "This is our code. Learn it. Live it." The code appeared on the screen of the data terminals...

"Peace is a lie  
There is only passion  
Through passion I gain strength  
Through strength I gain power  
Through power I gain victory  
Through victory my chains are broken  
The Force shall set me free"

Callista studied it, driving it into her mind, for there was nothing for her to return to. Everything she knew was gone.

After said class she and the rest of the initiates had intense physical training, much more strenuous and painful than the jedi training, and straight after that was saber training, where the she was paired with the same young male apprentice. Her body ached, and her muscles protested as they worked through saber drills. She blocked the pain from her mind, for it only served to slow her down.

Time passed, and this routine became normal, she became friends with the young apprentice, as they were both fairly light hearted with each other. But her exceptional talents became apparent to the higher powers that be to the Academy.

She knew at some point her talents would be noticed, and she was right. it was not long before she was separated fro m the rest of her class, and given "extra attention".

Her and 5 others out of the entire academy of a few hundred were separated from the class, as they reported to training area 3, when the others were still in 1. This extra attention gave her time with the Dark Lord, their personal instructor. Learning the nature of the dark side, and how it can be manipulated to will.

Her classmates seemed slightly confused about the summons, but she knew why. Her friend stayed close as they worked through the new exercises

The young apprentice, soon became jealous however, of the extra attention his friend was getting, it embittered him and sensing this the Dark Lord found the perfect lesson in itself.

Callista knew something was up when he wouldn't talk to her, or even look at her. She tried talking to him, but was ignored. He got so fed up with all the attention that he lashed out at her in practice one day.

His movements were erratic, but fueled by anger, such that Callista feared for her life. She fought the only way she could to preserve it.

"How dare you try to best me, I hate you!" as he violently and powerfully put all his force into every menacing strike.

She was speechless, her anger at his accusation was boundless. Angry tears traced down her face as she fought, for she had always been a friend to him. Her sabers spun and slashed barely blocking the fury of his strikes.

After what seemed like an eternity he tired, and tried to force push her away, but always troubled with manipulating the force he failed and left himself open. "Damn you!"

She squeezed her eyes shut against the agony, it felt like part of her soul had been ripped out... Clutching her sabers tightly, she reached into the Force and lifted him off the ground. The agony rolled off her as she faced him. "You were my friend, I helped you..." her voice went quiet as her anger strengthened. "A friend would not accuse you of showing them up..."

Then the Dark Lord approached "You see my dear pupil, you see what these loving emotions bring you? Anger, regret, but don't push them aside...learn from them, let them fuel you."

Her glance flicked to him, like she was seeing him for the first time. She had completely forgotten they were in the middle of a classroom. She struggled with her anger, the tears threatening to blind her.  
Meanwhile she had forgotten also that her "friend" was still suspended in air, lacking what he was suspending in, completely unaware and distracted she was killing him.

It was a strangled gurgling that brought her attention back to him. but by then it was already to late. As she released her hold on him, and he fell to the floor, she could feel his spirit leave him.

"Well done." The Dark Lord commented, and then the entire classroom erupted into a cheer. She scowled. She didn't deserve praises for that...She only nodded.

More time past until it was time for the dedication test, and all the initiates were in the first training area, to take the exam. Callista had since dealt with the death o her friend, and had thrown herself fully into her studies.

Who are you in regards to the order?  
Her fingers hovered over the keys for a moment before she began typing

I am the instrument of the order, my will is my guide.

What drives you?  
My desire to serve the order to the best of my abilities.

Please finish the following...  
"Peace is a lie.."

There is only passion  
Through passion I gain strength  
Through strength I gain power  
Through power I gain victory  
Through victory my chains are broken  
The Force shall set me free

Which position would feel are best for?  
Marauder - Specialization: Lightsaber combat  
Lord - Specialization: Force manipulation

She paused for a moment...her skills were exceptional in both areas...

Lord

And thus the written exam was over, and the physical part would be tailored to that last decision...

She rose, and followed he rest of her classmates to the training room.

The Dark Lord entered and spoke "This is your final test before you are acknowledged as a full member of the order, and as such this may prove difficult to some. Now is proving time." Each student was paired up, tailored to their specialization. The one out of each pair that survives...becomes an apprentice. Good luck.'

Callista squared off against her opponent, her blades ready.  
Her opponent lifted a conveniently placed large rock and sent it her way, a test of force manipulation.

She reached out with the Force, deflecting it. The rock bounced off the wall, and rebounded towards her opponent.

Her opponent nearly misses it, and is breathing very heavily, she realizes now is her opportune time to strike.

Pushing her opponent away from her with the Force, she lifted him into the air and dropped him...'let see how he handles that' she thought.

Having injured his back in the fall, he agonizingly gets up and ignites his lightsaber, but instead of charging forth, uses the force to sling towards her, as a boomerang.  
She grins at his shock of seeing his blade bounce harmlessly off a Force shield.

Feeling drained, his last effort turns to running towards her as fast as he is able to fight, he lazily swings to her right.

Her twin blades whip out, and she shoves with enough force to knock him back a step. The blades graze his forearm, leaving a wide burn.

Switching the blade to his other arm he drops to his knees and takes a swipe at her legs, making contact with the first left foot. She dances away from him, balancing on her right leg, but not before she knees him in the face, hard.

The opponent fell straight on his back, and realizing his defeat, didn't move. She stood over him, her blades pointed at his throat.

"Allow me to my feet, to die as a warrior..." She backed up, allowing him room to stand. He got to his knees and sneakily felt around for his blade, having found it, he spoke "Alright...Finish it"

Callista raised her blades for the final blow, but not before she sensed it, her face didn't even flicker. She struck down with her blades, and his was a blur. She barely got her shield up in time to deflect the blow

He let out a maddening scream and used every bit of energy he had left to hack with the blade, but it was too late, he knew he had failed and continued to clumsily throw his saber about.

She gazed at him for a moment., then struck with her blade, forcing him to defend himself. His anger was so strong that he didn't see the second saber that took off his head.


	2. Still Deeper

She lowered her sabers once more, her hands shaking as the body fell to the floor in front of her. It still shook her when she killed someone.

The Dark Lord then approached "Haha, very good apprentice., you will do well here." She gazed at him, the anger surging behind her eyes as she fought the rush from the battle. Extinguishing her sabers, she bowed, and then waited.

"The graduation ceremony will be later tonight, you should get ready" One of the instructors announced. She looked back at him. "Is there anything I should do to prepare, My Lord?"

"Besides bathe?" he jokingly said, "Just prepare your finest robe, dismissed." A smirk passed over her features at that remark, and she bowed once more, departing for the dormitories.

A shower was a welcome distraction, giving her time to reflect on everything that had happened, and to heal the wounds of battle. Her long hair was braided tightly, hanging down her back, the dark fabric of her robe draped over her slender shoulders.

An instructor entered the dormitory. "All graduated apprentices are to report to the main hall. Last arrivals willl be cast out." Callista rose before he was done speaking, and exited the room not far behind him. The main hall was vast, A huge open room, that echoed slightly with her footfalls. She could hear the rest of the class as they filed in quietly behind her.

The Dark Lord approached the elevated area in the middle. "You are here as you are the strongest, the most capable and the elite." He cleared his throat "Now you will be assigned master will head out into the world with them, to learn firsthand the life of a sith."

His words sent chills down her spine, as the words of gifted speakers will. She squared her shoulders, standing proudly with her classmates. He read a long list of names. "Jarrod Helightin you are with Master Orraj, Callista you are with me..."

Her eyes widened as he read off her name. It was a greatr honor to become his student, but she also knew her life would not be an easy one...

The night passsed, and there was much to drink, and much celebration, later that night the Dark Lord stood at a window, just staring, thinking 'How can I best get this apprentice to be an asset to the Order?'

The celebrating ran well into the morning hours, for she and her classmates had made it through a lot together. SHe withdrew after a while to the chambers she now shared with him, settling herself to meditate. So much had happened over the past few months, she could scarcely comprehend it.

She had gone from being a respected jedi, to being cast out for doing what she thought was right. Her anger swelled slightly with the memory. her own friends had cast her out, she would never forget their betrayal.

The Dark Lord entered the chambers, and spoke "Get ready to leave, we're going on a mission, I'll explain on the way."

She rose quickly, grabbing a spare set of robes, and tossing them into her bag which rested by her feet. Slipping the bag over her shoulder, she nodded to him. "I am ready, Master."

He led her to a hangar area, where they board a nicely sized craft with two crew members, a human relation's droid, and a pilot. He instructed the pilot of the destination and then called Callista to him to discuss the mission "We are heading to Nar Shadaa to have talks with a particularly capable group of mandalorians, they could be great use to us."

She raised an eyebrow at that. "What use could we have for the Madalorians, master?"

"We are going to use the Mandalorians to strike a smaller planet near a recently uncovered Jedi training facility...our target is that facility as it holds a particular type of crystals that augment lightsabers to shine with the same intensity as their user."

"In regards to Force-presence?"

"Force presence and the way that user manipulates the force, the dark, the more intense the beam becomes, Legend has it that the great Lord Ragnos used one of these crystals and he could slice a Rancour in half in one swing."

"Wow... What kind of crystals are they?"

"Lightsaber crystals, you will have to replace your current ones." She nodded, and thought a moment. "That can be done easily enough..."


	3. An Old Friend

Sitting in a meditation chamber on Corellia a wave of Force energy sweep over him. The pain in his chest weighed so heavily that he knew it was not good news.

The comlink disturbed him and brought him back in the real world. Pressing the comm button on the wall,

"This is Jedi Investigator Garrett."

"Sorry to disturb you sir I have a priority transmission from the JedI Council for you," came the rather shaky voice.

"It's OK Lt., put it though.."

"JedI Knight Jason Garrett," came the voice of senior council member Relan Volkum, "We have some news for you."

"Yes I know - Master Faulkner is dead. The bonds of Padawan and Master run deep, sir."

"We need you to return to Coruscant for an assignment, we cannot discuss it over an open comm frequency."

"Very good sir, inform the council I will be there within 1 solar day. Garrett out."

Jason broke the comm signal. Looking up though the sky light towards the stars he thought, _What have you got me into this time Master?_

On leaving his chamber, Jason removed his personal comlink from his belt, "R4 prep our ship we're heading for Coruscant - best possible speed."

The short trip to the space port took Jason through the beauty of Corellia. Rebuilt after the Vong crisis, it had reclaimed much of it's elaborate skyline. A sprawling cityscape of industrial and recreational establishments. Much of Jason's work came from these streets. Being a JedI Knight and a CorSec officer was hard work juggling duty and commitment, but it was the choice he made.

Arriving at the Space port R4 had done a first class job prepping his heavily modified ETC-2 Interceptor ship. Back in the old Clone War days used by the Jedi, Jason had discovered one floating in the junk yards of the main space station orbiting the planet. Lovingly restoring and upgrading it so it has its own hyper drive rather than those clumsy rings.

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"This is Darkwing 1 to Temple control - permission to land. I have a priority recall from the council," Jason said as he flew into Coruscant atmosphere.

The wonder of the Coruscant skyline never escaped him. Before the Vong war it had been a sea of grey buildings in all directions. Now at the site of the former senate chambers and the Jedi Temple stood a large open park with a dome that housed plants from all over the galaxy. A symbol of unity amongst the galaxy-wide population.

"Darkwing 1, we are expecting you please proceed." came the reply.

Allowing R4 to conduct the landing Jason jumped out of the cockpit once touched down and walked purposefully to the council chambers.

An attendant stood outside the chambers. As he approached the doors were opened, allowing him access.

The room was dark and quiet. If he didn't know, better he felt it was a trap.

"_JedI Garrett,_" came the disembodied voice from the darkness.

Jason looked around in the blackness, wondering why his JedI senses had let him down and he could not pick up anyone there.

Then the voice came clearer, "_My former Padawan and good friend, hear me_."

It was the unmistakable voice of his former Master Mark Faulkner. Then as if on cue, his shimmering outline appeared in front of Jason.

"_Callista needs you help, I do not have much time so hear me well. She has been seduced by a Dark Lord of the Sith called Darth Moor. She is under his spell. Only you can bring her back, and bring her back to the Light. In the darkest moment when everything else fails, trust she will come through. I am trying to reach her but she is blocking me. She is suffering, she is in pain and feeling guilty over her choices. This has given her focus and anger. This has made her stronger than you have ever known her to be. Beware and be well_."

Before Jason could ask a single question, Mark had gone. Instead of standing in the council chambers the attendant had his hand on Jason's shoulder.

"Sir, Sir, are you ok? You are keeping the council waiting."

What seemed like an hour had only been two minutes. Jason was still standing outside the council chambers.

Taking a deep breath he stepped inside.

This time seated in a three quarter circle were the twelve members of the JedI Council.

Senior council member Relan Volkum spoke first, "Thank you Jason for travelling here to see us."

"No problem, it is always welcome to be brought before the council," Jason replied

"What brings you to the temple, Jedi Knight Garrett?" Steffan Karrde asked

"I was under the impression I had been summonsed by the council," Jason quizzically replied

"We had not sent for you," Senior council member Relan Volkum looked in disbelief.

"Master, before entering this hall, I received a message through the Force from my dead Master, Mark Faulkner. JedI Knight Callista is in trouble. Is this not so?" Jason stated

"Yes that is true but is also classified."

"Well Masters, may I ask that I be assigned the duty to investigate this matter. To bring her back if possible?"

Master Vandor spoke, "JedI Masters," standing turning to his fellow members, "Can we allow this? Both Jedi Knight Callista and Jason shared Mark as their Master. They have both shown a deep connection within each other. With Master Faulkner gone and Callista's supposed turning, can we risk this Knight going alone on such a dangerous mission?"

Silence feel over the chamber. Master Kiae Quon Dei broke the peace, "Jedi Knight Garrett, you have given us much to think over. This council has to meditate over your request. Wait in your quarters till called for."

"Yes Master, thank you." Jason bowed as he walked backwards out of the chamber.

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It was several hours later when Jason was woken by a chime on the door to his quarters.

"Yes?"

"The council are ready for you sir," came the reply.

So Jason donned his robes, looking striking in his regal blue tunic, light blue vest and trousers. His robe was of the darkest blue with the Cor Sec crest over the back. As he stood to leave he again lost sense of time and the image of his Master stood before him.

"_The council has denied your request, this I have foreseen. there is someone on the council that does not wish you to embark on this quest. Be wary I sense lies and deceit. I also sense the shroud of darkness over the council. Not everything is as you may see it. You must defy the council to learn the truth of this matter. Events have now placed two missions before you. One you can do alone, the other will require help_." With that and again without giving time for questions, Master Faulkner disappeared.

And, true to his word, Mark was right about the council.

"Masters how can you say this, how can you not allow me this mission? Has anyone explained how I was called here?" Jason's response bordered on anger.

"The council has made it's decision young one and you will follow," Vandor barked back.

"If the council will not sanction this, then it gives me no other choice than to consider laying down my title within the Order and giving my full attention to Cor Sec."

"You cannot do this! Council members please place this Knight into protective custody before his actions threaten us all." Vandor stood from his chair and walked towards Jason. "You will come with me NOW!"

Jason jumped back in a somersault, landing just in front of the door. _Is this what the council wanted?_ Jason thought. This is not what he expected. Indeed something larger was going on here. Mark was right.

Backing through the door with his hand firmly on one of his two Lightsabers, he waited for the door to close then took his Lightsaber and ignited it's brilliant green blade, fusing the doors together. That won�t hold them long he thought and ran at top speed to his ship on the landing platform.

"R4 prepare for emergency take off and charge shields and weapons. Jam all comm channels except this one till we are airborne," Jason ordered.

_Well this is another fine mess you got me into Callista so you better not disappoint me._


	4. No Turning Back

The ship "Bubonic" was passing through hyperspace as the Dark Lord (I'm at amiss as to what to name him...seeing as I'm dead ) for the first time in the sight of Callista attended to a higher power. He stood in front of holotron speaking.

"We are in pursuit of the crystals Elder Malus, I have with my a new apprentice who seems quite skilled." The crowing voice from the Holocomm burst forth "Do not disappoint me, but I'm sure will you not, you haven't in the past. Use the Mandalorians as pawns, we need those crystals.. Report back to me when you have procured them, or if you do fail, you might as well stay there with the Jedi, your fate will not be as harsh."

Callista stayed off to the side, her eyes averted. It was not her place to speak now. She tensed at the mention of the Jedi, her blood roiling.

He turned to his new apprentice, "We will arrive to make contact with the Mandalorians in about an hour, is there anything you wish to discuss?" She frowned a moment, it was obvious that he had sensed her discomfort. "I don't know if I'm ready to face the Jedi again..."

"Before you were but a pawn, and could only use your words, now you are much superior, and your not visiting to be reprimanded by them."He gave a bit of an chuckle. She nodded at that. 'How do you propose we do this?"

"Force, not one will stand." She grinned at that, eager to exact her revenge. It had been a while, and she looked forward to it.

Moor sat down and began to meditate, a very thick dark energy filled the room, one which hadn't been there before, he has the power to mask his affinity with the force. Callista's respect for him rose another notch. She felt the energy surround her, and she reveled in the raw power.

The ship arrived on a landing post on Nar Shadaa, and Lord Moor motioned for Callista to follow him, they exited the craft and was waved down by a very large human. She followed, looking around in amazement. The place was crawling with all sorts of low-life's.

He approached the man. "Take us to your commander."

The large man (assumed Mandalorian) took them into a near by building where the a full armor clad Mandalorian warrior was waiting.

He spoke "I assume you brought the armaments?"

"I have, they are being arranged to be delivered now, what about your side of the deal?"

"We will raid this area for you, you want nothing from there?"

"No. Just attack, have fun, just do it." Moor then started to walk towards to door.

She turned to follow her master, but paused, thinking. 'I wonder how many will die?' she thought. Walking out to the street and towards the ship, Moor said aloud "Enough, but their deaths will be what attracts the Jedi."

She nodded. "And our part other than to retrieve the crystals? Will we be fighting the jedi?" Approaching the ship now, cloak flowing in the wind, "Any that gets in our way." She nodded, and a small grin crossed her face.

They entered the ship and it takes off, jumping back into Hyperspace, and after about an hour exits and they approach a lush, green planet, though almost dwarfed by a much large slightly urbanized one. They approached the moon and they braced for impact upon landing.

The planet reminds her somewhat of Coruscant, but in a dingy way... She jolts slightly with the impact, then releases her crash webbing and exits behind her master.

Moor turns to his apprentice, "Prepared?"

"I am, Master."

They exited the craft to the natural beauty of the area, and after a small walk they saw a distinctly jedi-esque building on the horizon, Moor looked intently, searching anyone near by, sensing no one he ran fast, very fast towards the building. She stayed close, holding her Force presence to a minimum like she had been trained to.

Reaching the courtyard that lead to either the front or the back door, an air of confidence came over the Dark Lord. He pulled his hood over him and started walking toward the front door. In front of it, he raised his hand and looked intently, and with a wave to the right, one side had then opened, into the foyer, empty, they walked in.

Her hood was also drawn up, hiding her face in shadow, she intended to keep it that way. "I sense no one, master.." He kept walking, and slid open the next door, leading to a large room, with a fountain, with two paths, one to the right and one straight ahead. "You take the right one."

She nodded, and drew her sabers, creeping down the right one. Being in a place like this brought back memories that she could just as soon forget. She shoved them aside, and continued.

Straight ahead went his path, walking he caught sight of someone rushing past, before they could clear his view, he threw his hand forward and they crashed into the wall. Surprised by this, two more young jedi appeared to the body, unaware of what happened, when all three then turned to the see the Sith Lord, and stood there in shock.

Callista crept down the corridor, and her senses flared. A young student careened around the corner, lightsaber at the ready. She cut him down without even blinking.

The Dark Lord spoke when approaching "Where are your Masters?"

One answered "He is in the council room" they all rose to their feet, and lit up their sabers, one behind the other they ran at the Dark Lord.

Moor concentrated, lifted his hands and extended his fingers, and then streams of lightning poured from each taking down one of them, while the other two stopped dead in their tracks, Moor charged forward and impaled one on his saber, kick him off it, and in a turning motion, caught the other one at the waist.

Then calmly continued forward.

She crept down the corridor, reaching the council chamber at the same time as her master. In the council room sat one adult jedi, who looked calm, Moor turned to see his apprentice there, and a stunned look upon her face. Her face paled as she gazed across the room at him. "You..." she hissed. All her anger was channeled into that single word.

"You know him?" Moor spoke, as the Jedi stood up with an also surprised look.

"I do..." her voice shook with rage. "He cast me out..." She spat his name like it was vile. "We meet again, Master Draconis..."

Noticing a crate next to the Jedi "The crystals...Want to do the honors, my apprentice?"

"With pleasure, Master."

She thumbed her sabers to life and strode angrily across the room. He came at her swiftly, swiping his blade towards her side. Deflecting it, she moved in close, limiting his defense. His green blade wove a tight defense as she force him backwards. SHe could feel him trying to get inside her head, but she shoved up her wall.

Fighting in such close quarters caused him to tire easily, and she took advantage of the fact. His strikes became sloppy, and she slashed his arm, forcing him to switch hands. She backed him into the corner, where he could not maneuver, and proceeded to stab him through the heart. he fell with a dull thud at her feet.

"Impressive show. How do you feel my apprentice?" She stood back from the body, her breath coming fast. "Invigorated."

Moor went over and retrieved the crystals. "Its about time we left." He lifted them and made way back toward the ship.

She followed behind him, keeping watch for anyone behind them. it was only then that she noticed the charred sleeve of her robe. He noticed the lack of footsteps behind him.

"Something wrong?"

She glanced up at him, and pulled back the sleeve of her robe to reveal a wide gash. "I didn't even feel it.." Moor grinned. "Such is the power of the dark side. I'm sure you can heal it." He then turned and returned to the ship.

She followed, already working to heal the wound. Once on board, she sank into a healing meditation.

Moving to the holocomm, it activated with the Elder once more.

"Are you victorious?"

"Yes Elder." he hold the crate up, showing the crystals.

"Return immediately."

"Yes."


	5. Unworthy

They had returned once more to the academy, and to the Order. Darth Moor had given his Apprentice two of the crystals that they had recovered, instructing her to install them in her sabers. She hadn't done the meditation for years, but the focus came easily to her. Just performing the meditation and the act of installing the crystals brought both a rush of memories and a clarity of mind.

Her senses sharpened as she felt him, she had not seen him for years, yet there he was in her mind, clear as day. He flipped backwards away from someone, landing in a crouch, his lightsaber held ready. Then her vision shifted, and she saw him sealing the doors to the Council chamber. 'He's coming for me...but why now?'

Moor approached her, and spoke in a rather grizzly voice "I...sense a disturbance young one, do you?" She paused. "I'm not sure, Master.." She wasn't sure what to say, her connection to Jason was like that of a brother and sister.

His eyes focused intently, like claws. "Not sure...?" She tensed, and paled slightly at his tone. "I did feel something, Master."

"It is connected to you, no?" he said, trying his best to pry the information out with the skill of a master thief. She frowned. "I'm not certain when it will will happen..." She was doing her best not to reveal too much, Jason meant too much to her.

"Be as it may...intruders, will be told to be executed...on sight." He said with a sense of superiority. She clenched her jaw, holding her temper, even as she paled further. "Executed on sight, my master?"

"Unless..." he paused, "there is a reason their not be?" Callista was struggling to hold her emotions in check, but she failed utterly under his heavy gaze. Tears traced down her cheeks as she sought to bury her feelings for Jason.

Moor looked in disgust. "You believe yourself a Sith!" She cringed, but stared steadily back at him. "I am who I am, there is no changing that..."

"Rid yourself from my sight, you disappoint me, immensely." He said coldly. She stood frozen for a moment, and then turned and ran. She could sense him behind her, as his anger reached its peak. She drew her sabers as she ran, the purple blades springing into existence. They now had a silvery sheen about them.

Moor retired to his chambers, he was not worried about the situation at hand, he had an entire Academy at his command. Callista skidded to a halt, flattening herself against the wall, and dropping her Force presence to nothing as she sensed Sith warriors around the corner. She could feel Moor calling to the students through the Force.

'My apprentice is to be looked at with care, she is not fit to be Sith, watch her.' Her lip curled from the arrogance she sensed in him. She drew her hood up, and walked purposefully around the corner.

The warriors took notice of a student with their lightsaber lit and thus one spoke, "You there...what are doing?" She stopped and sneered at them. "It is no concern of yours..."

"Turn your blade away, walking with it armed is not allowed outside the practice area." They walked on. She doused her blades, hiding them in her cloak. Slipping down a side hallway, she slipped into an empty room, and dropped her force presence once more. 'That was too close,' she thought.

She slipped out of the room once more, her stride purposeful and confident. There was a comm alcove not far down the corridor. Slipping into the booth, she closed the door. After entering a scramble code he had given her all those years ago, she punched in rhe frequency. The pickup was so close to her mouth, that her lips were touching it.

Her heart pounding against her ribs, she whispered breathlessly, "Baby Girl to Darkwing 1. The tiger is loose." This was the prearranged signal if she should ever find herself in enemy territory and be discovered. A second later, two clicks came over the comm, and then it went dead. She wiped the memory, and left.  
----------------------------------  
The urgent beeping of the encoded priority channel roused Jason from his meditations. Thumbing it to life, he already knew who it was. There was only one person who had this code. her voice came over the channel in a tense whisper. "Baby Girl to Darkwing 1. The tiger is loose." He tensed as the meaning of the words hit home. She was alive, and in trouble. She had been compromised.

He double-clicked the the send button, not wanted to endanger her further. Gathering himself, he set out towards the large building, keeping to the shadows of the night. his twin sabers a comforting weight at his waist.  
----------------------------------  
Moor was meditating in his chambers, he could feel the presence, and he was focusing every drop of his energy, should he need it. He reached out and telepathically reached his Master, 'My new apprentice is no longer such, and will soon be retrieved by her jedi ally...your thoughts, Master?' Where the Elder responded 'Scare them, but the death of either Jedi is not advised currently, they are proving to be...pestersome.'

Callista could sense Jason, even with her own diminished senses, until his presence became only a small pinprick in her mind. She carefully made her way towards the academy entrance. The shadows became her friends. Moor rose, having augmented his lightsaber, it now shone with intensity, such a dark red, nearly black, and noticeably wider than most lightsabers. He made his way toward the entrance.

Clampng down on her nervousness, she shoved it aside as she felt Moor approach from the opposite direction. She drew her sabers, hiding them in her sleeves as she approached, her hood still drawn up. Jason's senses flared as he felt the Dark Lord approach. 'Looks like we will have to fight our way out' he thought. He drew his own sabers, the grips held firmly as he approached the first guards and downed them without a sound. She felt Jason near, and it gave her courage. She straightened her shoulders, and walked steadily into the entry foyer.

Moor stood, with the rest of Callista's former class mates, all with augmented lightsabers, and when her presence was noticed, all lit in unison, except Moor's. Who, cloaked walked and barred the door.  
"What are you doing, my young apprentice?"

She halted. Her classmates stared back at her, anger burning in their eyes. "I am leaving," she ground out. She tossed her dark cloak aside, freeing her to move. Much to her surprise the doors opened, but before that sigh of relief could set in, a tightening began, an immense chest pain as she was lifted in the air "You...have _failed_ me, next time...you. will. die." He then violently cast her outside and the doors closed behind her.

Her throat constricted as she felt herself lifted into the air. She struggled against his Force grip, but it was no use as he forcefully cast her out. Hitting the ground hard, she struck it with sufficient force that her her forearm snapped. she rose shakily to her feet as she heard the huge doors grind shut behind her.


	6. To Save a Friend

Jason reached down to help her up, but instead of taking her good arm, he took hold of the broken one. Callista screamed in agony, the pain fueling her Dark power. She shoved him off her with the Force, and struggling upright, she drew her sabers. His surprise was clear through the Force as he drew his own.

She hissed at him, "How DARE you come after me like I was a lost child!" She lunged at him, her blades moving faster than he had ever seen them. he was hard pressed to fend off her vicious attack. He stepped backwards from the fury of her assault, her blades coming perilously close to cutting off a limb. His own green blades flashed and whirled as he fought against her fury.

As the two continued their furious exchange of blows, they failed to notice the small man watching them from a short distance away. Wearing a loose, black shirt and pants, his cleanly shaven face and head bore no trace of emotion nor mercy as he watched the fight. After a few minutes of watching the battle intensify, the man at last began to stride towards them, holding up his hand as he did so.

With a blast of Force energy, he sent Jason flying away from Callista. Gesturing again with the same hand, he brought a lightstaff to his grip from his belt and activated it. Callista scrambled to her feet to face the new adversary. She was now caught between both men, and didn't know where to strike first. Turning, she presented her profile to both men, to lessen the target. She glared at the other man. "What do you want?" she growled at him.

"Outcast Callista", he said, dripping contempt from his voice despite any trace of emotion on his face, "For your treachery of the Sith Order, your life has been made forfeit. Lay down your weapons and you will be executed cleanly. Fail to do so, and you will be made to suffer as your gross negligence of your formal loyalties deserves."

She hissed at him, her lip curling. Jason was rocked back on his heels by the amount of anger he felt rolling off his friend. his every instinct screamed for him to fight her, but his heart said no. He sstrode over to stand with her, but she shoved him forcefully away. "Stay out of this!" she roared. He nodded. She turned back to the other Sith. "I will not die without a fight..."

The man appeared unimpressed. He merely nodded, gripping his saber tighter and moving swiftly towards her, flourishing the blades before he brought them hurtling towards Callista. Her own blades rose to meet his, and they flared as they crashed against one another. She kicked out, putting the Force into it as she connected with his left knee.

The Sith instinctively buckled his knee and shifted his weight to the other leg to avoid any serious damage. Using that same leg, he flicked his body around and slammed his shin into Callista's knee, pushing off with his other foot as he did so to put himself slightly behind her and poised to strike.

Her knee wnet out from under her, and she went down. Scything her blades around behind her, she felt them bite into his leg as the stench of vaporized flesh filled the air. She pivoted on her knees, her blades meeting his not two inches in front of her face.

Using his superior positioning, the Sith bore his weight down on Callista, testing her strength. Sensing her resolve, he quickly sacrificed this approach, and lashing out with the Force again he pushed her away from him before thrusting towards her with another strike. She caught herself, and regained her feet as he charged her once more. Sidestepping the strike, she drove her knee into his gut. The air exploded from his lungs and he went down.

Despite a hard landing, the Sith managed to roll himself back up into a crouched posture. Still taking deep, long breaths in an attempt to recover from the blow, he assumed a defensive posture and waited for Callista to make a move. She leaped at him, her blades swinging around like she meant to strike him in the side. At the last moment, she twisted in midair, her booted feet striking him hard in the chest.

Instead of fighting the assault, the Sith rocked back and allowed the momentum to carry Callista forward. Kicking his legs up, he pushed her past himself as he swung up his saber to graze her back. Her back exploded in agony as she fell to the ground. Jason made a move twards her, but she threw up a Force shield to keep him away. Picking herself up, she spun just in time to knock his blades aside. The Sith moved in closer as he wove his lightstaff in vicious, tight arcs towards Callista, hoping to impede her movement as he attacked.

Her strikes came short and quick as she attempted to work past the solid wall of light that was his blade. She whirled, and realized too late that she had her back to him. Her concentration broke as she felt him seize her, rendering her arms immobile. She tensed as she felt the heat of his blade a centimeter from her neck.

"Drop your weapons, Jedi. This is your last chance to end your suffering swiftly." The Sith brought his blade even closer to her neck, the heat slowly cooking her flesh. She flinched as the blade bit into her skin. Using the pain to fuel her, she rotated her wrists, and stabbed him in the leg. She fell with him, landing with her own blades to his throat.

The Sith gripped the lightstaff even tighter, turning his knuckles white, but no other sign of emotion escaped from him. Gazing directly into her eyes, he summoned the Force and wrapped it around her neck, constricting her windpipe. "Finish me, Jedi. What minor consequence is death to a Sith? All physical things fade in time; true power lives on forever." His dark grip on her throat tightened further.

Her lungs screamed for air as blackness crept in upon her vision. Sommoning the Force, she sank both blades into his chest, her face twisting from the stench of burnt flesh as his spirit departed. She rose above the corpse, her blades still lit, as her shield came crashing down. Jason ran toward her, his blades ready. His progress halted abruptly as he felt himself lifted into the air by way of her Force grip on his throat.

"What righ have you to interfere!" she screamed at him, all her raged boiled to the surface once more as she gazed at him. He felt the grip on his throat tighten, and he did the only thing he could. Touching her mind, he planted the image there of mark in her grasp instead of him. She paled, and a strangled cry escaped her lips. "Master?"

Her grip loosened, and Jason felt him plummeting towards the ground. He caught himself, and glanced up warily as she approached. Her eyes had lost the crazed look, but now it was replaced with the look of one who is haunted. She sank to her knees, suddenly lacking the strength to stand. He gently helped her to her feet, and guided her towards the ship.


	7. Torn

"Calli - come on!", Jason said with a degree of urgency. Callista was now showing signs of tiredness, hardly surprising considering what she had gone through. Jason guided her across the landing platform to his ship.

She looked up at him as if to speak. "We will come back for yours later - I promise," Jason commented to the unasked question. She smiled.

"Now we must hurry." As Jason helped her into the passenger seat the doors opened behind him. Out walked Darth Moor with 2 escorts.

'This is not good' he thought. The escorts - two Wookiees, ran towards him with dark red lightsabers extended and ready for battle.

"Not enough time for this - R4 lift off, get her to safety!" R4 bleeped his objections. "Do it NOW!" Jason ordered. "Swing by if you get the chance and pick me up."

R4 fired the repulsors and the ship rose to the screams of Callista. "NNooooo!"

"R4 turn this ship around and open the canopy - let me out!" Callista screamed. R4 ignored her.

Jason stood there both lightsabers ready for action as the two Wookiees charged at Jason's position.

'Now this should be fun,' he thought

------------------------------------------------

Although Callista was tired and in pain, she fought back against the agony she felt. "R4 please give me manual control," she said with every ounce of calm she could muster. R4 bleeped back a negative.

"R4 - look we can hear your master but you got to trust me. It's either that; or I'll cripple us right here." She held out her Lightsaber and placed the blade emitter against the control panel in the passenger seat.

R4 whined as if to submit. Callista felt the controls responding. "Now that's better. Bring shields and main cannons online. Lets see what Jason's ship can do with a one armed pilot at the controls!" Callista smiled for what seemed the first time in a long while.

------------------------------------------------

The Wookiee's pressed their attack. Jason was only just managing to parry their moves. Fuelled with the Dark Side, Wookiee berserker rage and the drive to impress their Master made them almost impossible to handle.

Moor looked on, "Good! Good!" laughing at Jason's attempts to hold ground.

Just then Moor looked up and the expression on his face changed to one of horror.

-------------------------------------------------

Jason heard the familiar sound of his ships engines, 'I have _got_ to reprogram that droid.' he thought. Then another impression came over him.

'Duck!' Just this one word came over Jason's mind. He dived for the deck a split second before blasts from a laser cannon peppered the ground. The Wookiees did not know what hit them, getting thrown 20 feet by the blast. Jason stood up to see Darth Moor in the distance. He threw off his cloak and marched purposely towards Jason's position.

"You are mine, Jedi!" he bellowed

"Not today, I think," Jason threw a smile back at him as Darkwing 1 maneuvered alongside him.

The canopy opened and Callista called out, "Well are you coming or would you like to stay?"

Jason jumped onto the wing and slid into his seat. R4 bleeped at Jason. "Calli, what have you said to R4 to upset him so?"Jason grinned. "Tell me later when we get to Illum."

"Illum?" Callista enquired.

"You need rest and to re-balance your lightsaber crystals."

With that Jason arched the ship skyward and away from the Sith Academy.

------------------------------------------

"Jedi. We will meet again and next time one of us won't be getting away!" The anger in Moor's voice was obvious.

Moor comlink beeped. "Yes Master?"

"I have the council bogged down in protocol and procedure. Callista and Jason have been branded rogue, they are now considered untrustworthy and traitors to the JedI Order." the dark and mysterious figure said.

Moor laughed, "Everything is proceeding as you designed Master"

The comlink image faded.


	8. A Painful Choice

The planet Illum, once a sanctuary for the Jedi. Now after many years of being forgotten has become home again for two Jedi on the run. The last Jedi to set foot here was way back in the height of the Clone Wars. In it's hey day a place were young Padawans would go to seek the crystals to make their own lightsaber. A back water world in the far depths of the Outer Rim, a ice world, inhospitable and isolated.

Darkwing 1 came out of hyperspace 5 days after entering. Callista was asleep. Staring through the forward view panel, Jason's bleary eyes took solace in finally seeing their destination.

"R4, scan the surface for the old remains of the JedI Sanctuary."

R4 bleeped an affirmative. A few moments later the co-ordinates came on the screen.

"Well done R4." R4 warbled. "Yes you can wake Calli and tell her we're here."

What sounded like an evil electronic laugh echoed from R4, then Jason heard a crackling sound and Callista jumped from her seat, hitting her head on the canopy above.

"Ouch!" cried Callista.

"Morning." Jason said.

"Morning. What was that?" Callista asked

"I think R4 was getting his own back over your little stunt back at the Sith Academy. My instruments read he sent you a small electric shock to wake you up!"

"Why that little runt! Wait till I get you planetside..." Callista threatened.

"Don't worry R4, I am sure she was just joking." Jason turned to look at Calli. "You were joking?" Jason asked.

Callista just looked at him.

"R4, I think you should keep out of Callista's way for a bit." Jason informed R4.

----------------------------------------------------------

Luckily, the hanger was still intact, so Jason landed the ship under cover.

"First order of business, to get the power running and the bay doors closed. R4, that's your job." Jason ordered.

"What about me?" Callista asked

"Looking at that arm of yours, I think we should look for the Med bay!"

About an hour later of fumbling around with Glow Rods, R4 got the power up. About the same time as Callista and Jason found the Med bay.

"Your healing starts here and now, my friend. The body is but the vessel. The mind and spirit will take a little more effort." Jason commented.

"I know.",Callista replied, bowing her head. "I know I have made some mistakes. I know you have given up a lot to come after me. I saw what you did at the Temple."

Jason placed two fingers under Callista's chin and slowly raised it up till his gaze met hers, "You saw that?"

"Yes..."

They stood there together for a few moments just looking straight at each other.

----------------------------------------------------------------

That evening after Callista's arm had been placed in a bacta sling, they sat in the common room. Looking rather worse for wear, but still comfortable. Well, a hard rock would have probably been comfortable after five days in a jump seat!

"Callista, we should talk about your lightsabers."

"What about them?", Callista enquired.

"The crystals Moor gave you. They should be removed, can't you feel the dark energy that surrounds them?"

"Yes, but I can control that now."

"No you cannot, and I need you fully focused and firmly back in the Light if we are both gonna get through this."

"I won't be defenseless. No one take MY lightsabers from me. NO ONE." Callista almost shouted through gritted teeth.

"Watch your anger, Callista. Can't you see the hold they have over you?" Jason stood. Callista jumped up and pulled one of her lightsabers into her good hand.

"If you want them, you will have to TAKE them from me, or you can TRY!"

Jason held his empty arms out palms facing Callista. "Go on then strike me down, unarmed. Prove to me they don't have a hold over you."

Callista ignited her blade. The smell of ionised air filled Jason's senses. He stepped forward towards the blade so it rested just under his chin.

"Noooo!" Callista started to cry and dropped the deactivating lightsaber to the floor. "You were right. Destroy them. Destroy them now……_please."_

Jason picked up the lightsaber she had dropped and held it between his hands. Then through the Force he held it in levitation and recited:

"The crystal is the heart of the blade. The blade is the symbol of the lightsaber. The lightsaber is the tool of the Jedi. All is one and one is at the core of the Force. So it is, and always has been."

With that, the lightsaber separated in midair so all its components hung on their own. Then through the Force, Jason took the crystal and threw it hard against the rock wall. Shattering it into dust.

Jason looked over to Callista to see her expression. She looked almost lost, as if her own heart had been ripped from her chest. He moved the pieces of the Lightsaber together minus the crystal, and settled it down in front of Callista.

Outstretching his hand. "The other one."

Callista reached down to the second lightsaber which was still on her belt. She took it and slowly passed it towards Jason's hand. He took it and for a few moments both had hold of it. It seemed that neither would let go.

"Calli, please..." Jason asked in a soft voice.

She let go, and Jason repeated the procedure on the second lightsaber. He glanced up at her. "I would suggest burning any clothes you have with you, including the ones you have on. There is dark energy in them." She looked away. "I can't," she whispered. He turned her fsce so that he looked into her eyes once more. "You can, and you will. You must sever any ties you have to the Sith, it is the only way." She nodded, and before she could voice the next thought, he reached behind himself and presented her with a set of soft brown robes. You can wear these until we can replace the other ones."

She smiled faintly, holding the robes to her. Jason spoke once more.

"Tomorrow, we will go into the mines and look for replacements. It has been a long day; we should rest and you have done well. I did not think it would be that easy for you to let go. You had become to attached to them. Remember the code, my friend. Good night."

Jason walked over to Callista, placing a hand on her shoulder and walked off.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Sitting in her room, she now held two useless sabers in her hands. She gazed at them, and then set them aside. Rising from the floor, she took up her bag. Jason was right. There was dark energy surrounding the whole thing. She tossed the bag into the recycler with such force that she heard it hit the inside berfore it incinerated. Her breath fogged in the chill air as s he divested herself of her garments. They followed the others into the recycler. The fabric of the robes Jason had given her was soft, and an aura of calm fell over her as she donned them. Just the act of putting on the robes of a Jedi helped her to center.

------------------------------------------------------------------

Jason lay in his bunk drifting off to sleep when he felt a presence. The presence of his former Master. As he slipped further and further into sleep, the image became clearer and clearer.

Standing shoulder to shoulder with Callista, with Master Faulkner before them. "Now my Padawans many tests lay before you. Seek out your allies and be careful who you trust. Danger lies at every turn. You each have your gifts and your weaknesses. Recognise them and allow the other to support them. You will find the one who is the betrayer, the betrayer on the Jedi Council. They have seen to it that you will be hunted. They know you are a threat; that is why I was maneuvered out of the way. Callista, I ask you to reach out with your feelings and come back to the Light. I asked Jason to come after you. Jason, Callista, you are two halves of a whole. Separated you are vulnerable. Together you are stronger. Now rest, both of you and feel refreshed in the morning, for it will be a very, very long day."

With that, Jason woke. What seemed like minutes had actually been hours. He had slept for nine hours to be exact. Callista came running into his room and looked at him.

"You saw it too, didn't you?" she asked

Jason nodded. "Yes - Mark spoke to me."

Callista dropped to her knees. "The council! Who did this? Why?"

Jason sat on the end of his bunk and reached out to take Callista's hands in his, "All good questions, but I think we need to sort out your lightsabers first. Come, let's get ourselves sorted."

About a half hour later Jason and Callista met up in the hanger, outfitted in cold weather gear. It was a short walk to the crystal mines. The main entrance was blocked. Jason drew one of his Lightsaber's and carved out a entrance. In they went. The mines were somewhat devastated from the explosions that had rocked them all those years ago.

"We will never find any active crystals here," Callista said despairingly.

"Have faith we will, otherwise the Force would not have brought us here!" Jason replied

After many hours of searching, Callista found two crystals of the most brilliant purple. Taking them, she sat in the middle of the great crystal hall and meditated for 3 hours on each crystal before installing them into the cases of her sabers. Three hours was not really long enough but it was all the time that was afforded to her. Both Jason's and Callista's sense, and Mark's words, made them feel something big was about to happen. And this time neither could see the outcome.

Both standing back to back they drew their Lightsaber's and began to spar. A small smile appeared on their faces. For this moment they both had peace and the company of a friend.


	9. So it Begins

Callista rose early the next morning, the vision still fresh in her mind. 'We'll need help' she thought. She knew just who to contact. making her way to the comm room, she fired up one of the old transmitters, and wanted to cheer when it worked. She entered a frequency she hadnt used for months, and nervously she waited.

Steffan's face appeared on the screen. "Karrde residence - Oh, Callista, ot's good to see you." he paused. "Are you alright? What's wrong?" She wanted to cry. Pulling herself together, she told him of her banishment from the order. he nodded, remembering it well, as he had staunchly opposed, but had been outvoted. She then told him of her anger and how she had fallen to the Dark Side, and joined the Sith.

His face paled at that, but her nodded for her to continue. "And now, the council is after us, we've been branded traitors...that's not all, I have a death mark on my head from Dart h Moor..." She trailed off. Steffan nodded. "I'll be there as soon as I can, you're going to need all the help you can get. Force be with you." The screen went dark just as Jason entered.

"Who was that?" Jason asked

"Steffan," Callista replied. "Mark said we needed people we can trust."

"And we can trust him? After all he is on the council! How do you know he won't turn us in?"

She rose, laying a hand on his arm. "He's not as close-minded as you think, Jason. He was the single councilmember who opposed my banishment from the order, but he was outvoted... He was also my saber instructor..."

Jason sighed, "I'm gonna start doubting my own shadow if I am not careful – Sorry, Calli." It seemed like a huge weight was bearing down on Jason. This last week had seen his world turn upside down.

"Jason, what's wrong?" Callista looked at him with concern. "We can trust him, is that what worries you?"

"It seems like I ... I don't know who to trust right now!"

"Jason, look at me." She pulled his face around to look in his eyes. "Seems like what?"

"We got someone from the council gunning for us, manipulating both the good and the bad. I think I'm missing some part of the puzzle some where. It is almost as if someone is trying to start a war. And the force users are in the middle."

Her face twisted in a scowl. "I'll give you one guess..." Jason looked quizickly at Callista.

"Moor was always answering to some higher power...I get the distinct feeling that it's that person..."

"Yes but who, and how do we prove it?"

She thought back, and something clicked in her mind. "Elder Malus..." she whispered.

"Ok so a suspect. but how can we prove it in front of witnesses?"

"I guess the only way we can is to see his reaction to my still being alive, he put a death mark on me."

"So you got anyone else we could call?", Jason tried to pull a smile. She frowned.

"What about Spark?"

"Go for it, see if they can make it. Tell them everything. Once your done, I'll send word back to coruscant see if any Cor Sec buddies can rustle up some starships."

"What for?"

"Well whoever comes after us has got to get here somehow. If they can be intercepted it could reduce our chances of being overwhlemed on the ground!"

She shrugged. "I'll do what I can..."

Jason placed his hands over Caliista's shoulder's, "I know." He walked out the door back to the main complex

Sighing, she turned back to the comm board. Spark answered right away, a little suprised by the encrypted message. "Callista are you alright?" Nodding, Callista replied, "I need your help..." She gave Spark a quick rundown of what had happened.

Spark scowled. "I never did like how they handle things these days. I'll get a hold of a few people."

Callista smiled. "Thanks, but please be careful." Spark nodded and cut the connection. She rose and found Jason in his room. "I'm done. Spark's doing some work on her end."

-------------------------------------------

Over the next day or so, there was a sporadic stream of small vessels that made their way to Illum. Among those who came to help were Spark and Sapharin. Also travelling with her were Master Ellen, and her padawan, Aerandir Ancalime. Adi Klem was not far behind them, with his own padawan in tow. Master Karrde also came to offer the support of his family, with himself and Ryneas.

A planning meeting was well under way by the time Falco arrived. He had come from Coruscant, and had had to take a circuitous route, so as not to be traced. Jason glanced up, nodding to his friend, and then went back to the breifing. He knew it was not easy for Callista to hear this again, but everyone had to know why they were fighting. Callista could feel varying degrees of outrage from the gathered Jedi at the actions of the Council, but no one let it take over.

Having completed his portion of the breifing, Jason sat, motioning to Master Karrde. "As you all know, I am a member of the Council. I do not, however, agree with their actions in this matter. We are all here to fight for what is right, not what the Council or the Sith think to be right, but what the Force tells us and we know in our hearts to be right." The gathered Jedi nodded. Steffan continued, looking at each of them in turn. "The fight will not be an easy one, for we will be fighting our friends as well as our enemies."

"We will be fighting on two fronts this time, so it will be difficult. Injure, but do not kill you opponents if it can at all be avoided." He turned to Ellen. "Master Merritt, I would like you to take Falco and Aerandir, and protect the crystal mines. Spark and Sapharin along with Jason and Callista, you will work on the Sith. Adi, myself, and our Padawans will take on the Council. There shouldn't be many, as some are out on missions, and at least two have to remain on Coruscant at all times. "

Jason looked around the great hall. "Not a bad collection, Callista. I don't think I could have pulled this off myself!"

"We have some of the best Jedi here. This is not gonna be easy trying not to hurt our own people." Callista said.

Jason nodded. "We will almost be fighting a stalemate position till the traitor tips their hand, allowing us to expose them."

In a split second, the claxon sounded. Spark came running from the Comm Room, "We have five Corvettes exiting hyperspace. They have not transmitted identity."

Jason looked up at Callista, she turned to him, "We are not ready!" There was a hint of worry in Callista's voice.

Jason's senses tingled and he then smiles. "Spark send this message exactly (Uncle requests a ride please)".

Spark looked at Jason. "What?"

"Send it Spark and hurry, or things could get messy fast."

Spark ran back to the comm room, only to appear back again a few minutes later. "They replied (Chariot on route.)"

Jason laughed, "It's ok, it's Lt. Darlin. The Cor Sec fleet have arrived. Oh and Calli," turning to Callista, "I have asked for a ship to be sent down for you." Callista turned to Steffan. "My apologies, Master Karrde, my late master gave explicit instructions that Jason and I were not to be separated." He nodded. "We'll be fine, go. And may the Force be with you both."

----------------------------------------

"That is what the message meant - was it?" Callista asked.

"Yes, come let's see what you got."

With that Jason and Callista walked to the hanger. Just as they arrived a shuttle and single XJ X-Wing arrived.

"Well unless I am flying a shuttle, I'll take the X-wing," Callista commented as she smiled.

Lt. Darlin walked down the ramp of the Lambda class shuttle, flanked with six troopers. Jason ran up and hugged Darlin. "So you made it, you scoundrel?"

"Wouldn't miss it," he replied slapping Jason on the back. "Anyway I owe you after that business on Ord Mantell. You saved my butt and that of my squad from those Wookiee bounty hunters."

"I was just in the wrong place at the right time." Jason smiled. "So I take it the X-wing is for Callista?"

"Sure is hope it will do."

"It will thanks." Jason replied.

"I'm off back to my ship. We will remain in orbit till you call us off. Oh, and do I understand correctly about disabling shots only?"

"Sorry, yes. Try not to fry anyone. Use Ion cannons where possible, otherwise just try to shoot out engines and gun placements."

"You sure know how to make a guy's life interesting, Jason."

"Yeah, well when things start cooking up there me and Callista here will stand beside you."

Lt Darlin looked at Callista, "You hooked up with this reprobate? You must be as crazy as he is! I'll see you both vacuum side." With that he walked back aboard his shuttle and took off.

------------------------------------------------------------------------


	10. Space Battle

It had been a while since Callista had sat in the cockpit of a fighter, but once she was in space, it all came flooding back. Jason's fighter floated near hers in the vaccuum. "Darkwing 1 to Darkwing 2. Ready to light things up?" Callista grinned. I copy, that, lead. Let's do it." Locking her S-foils in attack position, she stayed on Jason's flank as the dove into the heat of it.

The Sith were running an old Interdictor that spewed a squadron of fighters. The Corvettes did likewise, and a giant dogfight ensued. She could feel Jason's presence in the back of her mind, and her senses flared just as Jason said, "I see him." He killed thrust, dropping behind the Sith fighter that was tailing him. Careful shooting took out the weapons.

Jason barrell rolled his fighter. "Ok, Darkwing 2; they want us, let's give em what they want but with a twist!"

"A twist?" Callista's brow furrowed. She dropped 'down' through space, diving away from lasers aimed at her engines.

"Ok set shields double front and lets plow the road. R4 charge main cannons."

"Shields set, ready, 1."

Jason gunned his engines spining on his x-axis and set his cannons on auto. Luckly there was only Callista and himself in the firing line. The first flight of Sith fighters didn't know what hit them as half a squadron fell to Jason & Callista's first run.

'This is too easy' Jason thought. Then in the distance a glimmer caught his eye, "SEEKER MISSILES, 12 O'clock!" Jason shouted over the com to Callista. "Break! break now!"

He looked out of his side viewport to see Callista roll away from his position. Jason looked around to see 3 missiles had targeted him and 2 on Callista. That gave him some consolation as he knew that she was unfamiliar with her ship. Sure most X-wings are the same, but still a pilot bonds with his ship and they form a symbiotic relationship.

He dodged the oncoming missiles only to see them loop round after him. "Ok R4 flag up that Interdictor ship and paint the target." R4 warbled an acknowledgement. Jason pushed his engine and set shield for all round cover.

"Right with you, 1." She killed the missiles and streaked past him.

"Give me everything you got on the engines R4; we're gonna ram that interdictor." R4 screeched with protest.

"I'll cover you."

Jason checked the scanner to see his three missiles still on his tail and the Interdictor getting larger on his viewscreen. He looked over to see Callista on his scanner and laughed. "So you got rid of yours already. Man, I must be slipping!"

"Focus, 1," he could hear the grin in her voice. Jason opened his mind to Calli. "Can you get the bridge shield generator?"

"Yes, I have it on my scope. Ready when you are, lead." Their fighters streaked towards the Interdictor. Jason reached out with the force. "I need those shield down before i get there. I can do one circuit of the ship before those missiles catch up. Can you do it in time?"

"Relax..." She squeezed the trigger as they streaked over the massive hull of the ship, so close that Callista could see the welds on the hull plates. The generator behind the bridge blew up in a huge fireball.

"All set."

Jason eased his grip on the control sticks and closed his eyes. Reaching out in the force he saw all around him. "Ok, let's see if we can take these babies home." Jason pulled his ship up onto the top of the ship so he was face to face with the bridge at the far end. "R4, shield double front." Just as he gave the command, the turbolasers of the Interdictor roared all around him.

Jason felt concern coming from Callista. "Check your bioscanners, sis. The Interdictor is being run by droids!"

"Oh, _Sithspawn_!" She rolled her fighter to avoid a laser blast.

R4 screamed - "Ok we're hit! Just lost an S-foil, trim is lousy. Gonna close the other - still on target." Then a long silence. Jason dived straight at the bridge. Then came the explosion as the 3 missiles all hit the interdictor. The explosion sent debris everywhere.

"_Jason_!" All she got was static. She glanced at her scanners. Nothing. '_Where are you?_' she thought.

Power levels all read zero, every board. "Damn it, I'm a floating piece of space junk. R4, R4 you there?" Nothing. Jason reached down and pulled open a pannel. Reaching inside he grabbed a few wires. "Come on baby, give me something!" Jason looked up to see a large chunk of Interdictor falling in his direction.

"Jason!" Callista screamed through their link.

"Ok power source, power source?" Reaching into his bag at his side he found a spare lightsaber power pack. "Time for some kit-bashing." The chunk of junk fell closer and closer. "OK if I can kick start R4 he can get everything else running." Sparks filled Jason's cockpit "Ouch - damn it."

Her fighter streaked across space towards him, her lasers chewing away at the chunk of hull. A torpedo blew it in half. She edged up alongside him, nudging his fighter with hers.

R4 bleeped - "Get the power on." Just then everything exploded, Opening his mind, "Calli, I'm here." Then the engines roared. Gunning the thrust for everything he was worth, he wove his fighter in between the remainder of the junk. "YeeeeHaaaa!" Jason sped out into open space to see Calli alongside.

"Miss me?" He turned and smiled out the window.

She grinned. "Let's crash this party for good."

Jason opened the comlink, "Darkwing's to CorSec 1 - I just picked up another group of ships coming out of hyperspace. They carry Jedi Temple markings!"

Callista groaned. "They have such impeccable timing..."

"Copy that Darkwing 1. FYI: we missed two Sith shuttles that went groundside. The remaining Sith starships are breaking off. We will move to intercept the Temple group. Suggest you get planetside so as not to antagonise them." Jason smiled over at Callista.

"Roger that!" Callista whipped her fighter towards the planet.

Jason pulled a slower turn and followed Callista down.

"Right behind you Calli."

"Any count on the Sith?"

"My scanners read 2 Lambda Class shuttles. Could hold Platoon strength each."

Callista swore. "Sithspawn! We can't hold back that many...!"

"Then we shall have to be creative."


	11. The Fight Continues

Both fighters plummeted through the atmosphere, leaving a trail of fire in their wake as they came in fast.

"Jason, I have an idea..." She could practically feel the wheels turning in his head. "Spill it, Calli..."

She grinned. "We blow the canopy twenty feet up, and jump for it. Have the droids take the ships back to the hangar while we battle it out here..." She could sense his next question. "We'll make it, don't worry - trust me."

Their fighters screamed throught the air as they neared the battle on the ground. Callista could see a large cluster of bright blades as the Sith and Jedi battled it out. Callista addressed her R2 unit, "Sparky, hover us over them, and blow the canopy." The droid whined in protest. "Do it." she ordered. The bolts on the canopy blew, and Callista drew her sabers as she was yanked out of the ship by the rush of air.

Her twin blades sprang to life as she landed hard on the ground below. Rolling, she came up to find Jason beside her. He glanced at her, "Ready, sis?" She nodded. "Let's do this!" She could see Spark and Sapharin off to her left, fighting off a handful of Sith. Sapharin's blue lightstaff whirled and slashed as she fought two Sith, her brown hair whipping around behind her.

Spark's green blade seemed a blur in her hands as she fought. She could sense Jason and Callista near her, but she remained focused on her surroundings. They had their own problems to deal with. Turning her attention back to the situation at hand, she bachkhanded the ditracted Sith across the face, putting him out cold. She backed up next to Sapharin, their combined strength effectively holding off the Sith adepts who were fighting them. Spark gave a mental nod, and both women leaped straight up, above the Sith blades that intersected where they had stood a moment before. The Sith were impaled on each other's blades, and went down in a heap.

The women landed a few steps away. Turning to look around them, they saw Steffan and Adi a ways off, squaring off against several Councilmembers. Steffan's silver blade glowed as he held it in a high guard.

"Remember, no need to seriously injure them," Steffan told Adi as two of the other council members started to approach them.

"Agreed," Adi nodded as they both drew their lightsabers.

"There is no need for this to happen," Steffan said strongly as they stood there in front of the others. Kiae and Relan were both closing in on them, splitting up to catch the two off guard. "Another option is possible."

"There are no other options," Kiae said as the two started to draw their own lightsabers. "Steffan, you stand against us, and you are the same as those two are."

"Search your feelings, Kiae, Relan," Steffan told them as he and Adi kept a close guard. "You _know_ that there no sense in this. Why come to the last option, when there are other possibilities?"

"There are no..."

"There are _always_ possibilities," he told them as he finally gestured to the both of them. "And I choose the one that I must. Adi?"

Steffan and Adi moved at the same time, moving between Kiae and Relan away from the others. Kiae came straight in at him, and he let Adi handle Relan as he started to parry Kiae's first attack.

Chris Tien squared off with Ryneas and Scott, her eyes blazing. Ryneas' silvery-green blade hummed loudly next to his ear, the blade held in a mid-guard. His sandy hair whipped about his face in the wind. He felt a shift in the Force, and whipped his blade down at the same time Scott did his yellow one. Both lightsabers crashed into Chris's blue one, sending up a shower of sparks. She sneered. What could two young padawans be thinking, taking on a member of the Council? But together, their strength was reinforced, equal to her own. They steady fought back her attacks, forcing her to give ground. They both sensed the change that came over the Council members following Adi's words. _He always has been a gifted speaker_, Scott mused to himself.

---------------------------

Adi could feel the anger rolling off the various Councilmembers as they faced off with Adi and Steffan. They felt betrayed. But their minds were clouded. Someone was directing their actions. Steffan and Adi could both sense the dark tendrils of Force energy connecting the members of the council to a dark presence. And a very powerful one. He turned his attention back to the matter at hand, his single green blade springing to life to block a low strike from Relan. He shoved the other's blade away from him, throwing the older Jedi off-balance.

"Listen to me, Relan, all of you! This is not the way! Banishing someone from the order for an act that was done in self defense is not who we are. We should help them find the reason behind it, and to learn from it." His blade crashed into Relan's but the other was slow in blocking; he seemed confused, as if he was waking up from a deep sleep.

The other councilmembers were experiencing the same disorientation. They seemed dazed, but their vision cleared. Relan regained his bearings first, and turned to Steffan, surprised to see the other in a defensive posture. "What's the situation, Steffan?" Steffan relaxed, but still held his blade ready. "The Sith have moved against us, coming after Callista...the others are defending the mines." Relan frowned. "We'll help where we can. You should see to Jason and Callista..."

Steffan nodded, focusing in on Callista's location. Her presence blazed like a beacon through the Force. He could see them now, standing back to back, fending off two Sith, but these were not your everyday Sith Warrior. These two were Sith Lords. He waded into the fight, his silver saber knocking the Elder's aside.

Callista glanced up, and saluted him with one of her sabers. Her and Jason squared off against the younger Sith, spreading out the flank him. Moor grinned at finding himself battling both of them. He sprang at Callista, his crimson blade sweeping towards her head. She dropped under the strike, and planted her feet in his stomach, throwing him.

He landed and rolled, coming up to charge her. Jason intercepted him, his twin blades crashing against the dual blades of Moor's saber. Moor moved his dual blade with such speed and ease that Jason was starting to feel the preasure in trying to keep up. Jason thought - '_Where are you Calli?'_

'_Right behind you, Jason - look out,_' Callista warned as she leaped over Jason, her twin blades crashing into Moor's and throwing him off-balance. Moor stumbled away from Jason, Callista staying on him, her blades a violet blur as she forced him away from Steffan and Elder Malus. Jason steadied himself after Callista's timely intervention. He knew this was going to be difficult from what Calli had told him, but this guy fought like an animal.

Callista continued to force Moor back away from the others. His stregth had grown since she had last encountered him, and it was all she could do to block his strikes, let alone fight back. She got distracted by a feint, and payed for it dearly as the lower blade of his saber bit into her leg. She crumpled, her leg giving out as she fought the pain.

Hearing Callista scream through the Force brought Jason's attention back to the fight. Launching himself at Moor's position whilst he was distracted, Jason spun both of his blades at Moor's weakest point. In one sweeping motion, he sliced Moor lightsaber into two seperate blades. One appeared to be flickering in and out of phase.

Callista struggled to sit up from where she had fallen, and focused her attention on her injury. '_Hold on, Ja. I'll be right with you_.' She put up a Force sheild around herself as she worked on her injury, the pain lessening as the wound shrank and healed over.

Moor's mood changed from one of amusement to pure driven anger. Jason sensed he did not like beeing beaten. Callista looked up at the sudden coldness that rippled through the Force. '_I'm coming, Ja!_' She sprang to her feet and waded back into the fight, her blades swinging.

Moor was bearing down on Jason, when all of a sudden he stepped back. Jason thought, '_Calli's back_,' feeling her presence in the fight again. Through the force Jason said, '_Lets finish this!_' Calista nodded once, and stepped up the speed of her attack on Moor. Her blades became a solid wall of violet light as she forced him backwards.

Jason, seizing the moment also pressed forward. Moor began to break under the pressure of the attack. As both Callista and Jason were relentless in pushing Moor down.

"Give up NOW Moor, and answer for your crimes!" Jason said.

Moor sneered. "Never!"

Jason looked across to Callista. Jason took step back with one blade in a defence posture and the other ready to strike it's final blow.

Callista raised one of her blades in final salute.

With every last ounce of strength left in his body, Jason swung his blade down towards Moor. He looked up from his beaten position. At the last moment, Jason changed the angle of his blade and severed Moor's fighting hand, sending his fully working lightsaber crashing to the ground.

"Don't make me kill you!" Jason screamed.

Callista looked at Jason in shock. "Jason..."

"I was gonna kill him. But that is not the way of the Jedi!"

Moor brought himself to his feet. As Jason and Callista's attention was focused on each other, Moor reached across and grabbed Jason from behind. Jason dropped his blades to the ground.

"Jason!" Callista took a step toward the man she had considered a brother for as long as she could remember. Moor's arm held Jason tightly to him, while his other hand kept his last functioning blade steady against Jason's neck.

Jason closed his eyes and Callista could hear in her mind '_Trust me?_'

Moor looked at Callista. "Drop your weapons and get on your knees. I want you to watch as I take his life from you!"

Callista looked at Jason, tears shining in her eyes. '_Trust you, I would die FOR you!'_

Callista dropped her blades and sank to the ground. Moor reached out with the Force to push them out of the way.

"Now you will _die_, Jedi!"

Jason closed his eyes and reached out to the Force one last time. Finding the nearest lightsaber, he called it to his open hands. As Moor was looking at the shocked and scared face of Callista, he did not notice Jason had become armed once more.

Turning the blade backwards, Jason ignited the lightsaber agianist the side of his stomach. The stench of searing flesh permeated the air. Moor fell to the ground with a hole where his stomach would have been.

Jason let go of the blade as it turned itself off and fell forwards. "That hurt!" as he slumped to the ground.

Callista rushed to his side, helping him up. "Are you alright?"

"I'm gonna need to see a tailor." Jason tried to laugh. "It's ok, I used the fatty part of my stomach. Good thing I'm shorter than Moor!"

Jason surveyed his injury: a small chunk of fatty tissue had been burned from his side. "Think I might need a night in a Bacta tank for this one...Ouch. Get me up to Adi and Steffan. I got an idea..."

She nodded. "You won't need a bacta tank, you got me..."

Jason smiled then coughed a little blood. "That red is gonna stain. At least I still got my smile."

She grinned. "Come on, bro."


	12. An Empty Vessel

Master Ellen stood with her Padawan, Aerandir Ancalimé, and her good friend, Falco Volt in the chill wind. The entrance to the crystal mines yawned behind them like the mouth of some giant creature. Her turquoise blade blazed amid the stark white of the surrounding landscape.

She straightened when she saw four Sith heading in their direction. '_This is it,_' she thought. Falco and Aerandir spread out to either side. Falco was young for a Knight, but he had proved himself on more than one occasion to be an excellent swordsman. His blue and purple sabers shone brightly amidst all the driving snow around them.

The warrior on the left side of the group split off towards Falco, her red blade turning the snow from white to pink. Her dark cloak billowed around her in the rushing wind. Falco could feel her anger and hatred of him as he readied himself. She charged without warning, her blade coming in high. He ducked away from the strike, her blade passing his ear. Kicking out, he knocked her off her feet and she landed hard on the frozen ground.

Bursting to her feet, the Sith lunged at him, over-extending her reach. Falco's blue blade intercepted her arm before her blade could touch him, and she lost the arm as well as her blade. She howled in rage, and shoved at him with the Force. He caught himself after he had travelled only a few feet, and set himself once more as she came at him with her blade once again. He sidestepped, and sweeping his blade around, he felt her spirit depart as her lifeless body fell to the frozen ground. He paused a moment, honoring the warrior she had been, and then turned to help his friends.

Ellen was battling it out with two Sith, her turquoise blade a blur as she pushed them back from the mines. The Sith were doing there best to distract her in order to retrieve some of the crystals. Aerandir intercepted the last warrior, just as he reached the mine entrance. "And just where do you think you are going?" he asked. The Sith sneered at him. "I go where I please young one, and it pleases me to have some of those crystals."

Aerandir set himself, his blue-white blade held in a low guard, the tip aimed at his opponent. "Not if I have anything to say about it!" His fear melted to be replaced with a calm resolve. No Sith would lay a hand on the crystals today. He charged the Sith, his blue-white blade whipping around. Their blades crashed together as they struggled for position. The Sith shoved hard, sending the young Padawan flying backwards. Aerandir hit the ground hard, and rolled. The Sith stalked toward him, his crimson blade held low. Aerandir looked up, and barely brought his blade up in time to fend off a strike aimed at his head.

The Sith used his superior positioning as he forced Aerandir's blade back towards him. The young Jedi fell back, and rolled aside, causing the other's blade to impact the ground in a shower of steam. He turned again, lashing out with his foot to catch Aerandir in the ribs as he rose. Aerandir doubled over, pain blossoming in his side as he felt something give. The other grinned maliciously, sensing the Jedi's agony.

"I can feel your pain...Let it fuel you, rise above the weak..."

The Padawan smirked a little, in spite of his pain. "I think not..." he straightened, and as he did so, all trace of pain left his face. He charged the Sith, his blade held high in a two-handed grip. As he reached the other, he swept his blade down, bisecting the Sith from shoulder to hip as the dark energy exploded into the Force.

Ellen could feel when the Sith fighting her student was defeated, and she was amazed at the amount of power he displayed. He always had functioned well under stress. Falco joined her in the fight with the last two warriors, his twin blades moving in counterpoint to her bright turquoise one.

Both Jedi became as one mind as they fought, their moves complimenting the other's. Falco batted aside his opponent's blade, bringing his blue blade up to follow through. The Sith seemed confused, as if he had never fought someone weilding two blades before. His moves became clumsy and slow as he worked to break Falco's defense.

---------------------------------------------------

Jason limped over the frozen landscape, leaning heavily on Callista. 'We can't fight like this', she thought. "Jason, hang on a minute, let me look at your side..." She stopped and helped steady him as he lifted the edge of his tunic.

There was indeed a chunk of tissue missing from his side. She crouched a little, to get a better angle, and focused the Force around the wound. Muscles began to heal and repair themselves and she set a temporary shield around Jason and herself. Once the skin had closed over, she stood up. "Good as new, bro."

"Yeah, what's that sis? It still hurts like i been trampled by a herd of bantha's!"

Jason tried to pull on a smile. "Thanks."

Callista grinned. "I only hope you can keep your good humor..." She frowned. "We should go help Steffan.." She rose again, steadying him. Jason looked over to Callista, "Hows he doing?"

"Not good... Even one of the best swordsmen of the Order has his limits..." She could just see them over the next rise. Making her way towards them, her attention was focused on Jason. "Are you going to be alright, Ja?"

"I'll live," he smiled, trying to hide his grimace. "You get on ahead and help steffan. I'll follow up as quick as I can."

"But... Ja, you can barely stay standing, much less hold your saber steady..."

"Go," Jason looked into her eyes, "Steffan needs you now!" She nodded, with one more parting look at Jason, then turned and ran. Now that Calli had finally gone Jason stopped hold back the pain he was still in. Looking around for something to support him he found a large piece of metal from some long-abandoned droid. Wrapping some cloth round it Jason used it as a form of crutch. "Hmm much better." Jason tried that boyish smile of his.

Callista felt a wash of pain over her link with Jason, and stumbled. '_Oh Gods, Jason...'_ She looked up to find her path blocked by four Sith, and she paled slightly. Hobbling along trying to look ahead Jason suddenly felt a wave of dread come over Callista. "It's ok focus," he said quietly.

Sitting down on the ground, Jason closed his eyes and let go, bringing his connection with Calli closer. Callista felt the nudge from Jason and straightened, squaring her shoulders as she faced them. "You are in my way, move aside..." Her voice was firm, but the Sith would not be swayed. They each drew a saber: purple, orange, yellow, and red.

Callista drew her own blades, setting herself as the four warriors fanned out. Her violet blades sprang to life as the four began to close on her, boxing her in. She sensed their intent a moment before they moved, and like she had during her classes with Steffan, she opened herself and the Force came pouring in.

Purple struck high, while Yellow's blade came in low from the other side. She jumped, and twisting in the air, until her body was parallel with the ground. It was then that she lashed out. Her right foot snapped out, catching Purple across the face. She felt his nose give from the impact, and he went down, his hands over his face.

She felt Yellow's blade bite the ground, and heard a curse escape his lips. Flipping over, she landed hard in a crouch. Purple rose in front of her, his face covered in blood, and his rage making the Force boil. His saber flew into his hand, activating as it came. He raised the blade over his head, striking down towards hers. She reacted instinctively, and spun to the right, separating his head from his shoulders in one sweep of her blade. The head impacted the ground with a wet thud, and the rest of his corpse followed a heartbeat after.

The remaining three closed in, cutting off her escape. Yellow moved first, coming at Callista from behind. She ducked under the blade and back flipped away, coming to her feet with her sabers blazing. Turning, Callista moved away from the group, but found Yellow blocking her way once more. The other's saber swung low, aimed for Callista's legs, as she jumped above it, her twin blades whipped out towards Yellow's chest, only to be blocked by Yellow's blade.

-----------------------------------------------------

Steffan parried again to the side and brought his foot around to deliver a roundhouse to the Elder's jaw. He quickly assumed the guard position again as Malus staggered back and glared at him.

"You know you can't win this fight, Malus," Steffan told him. "Surrender."

Malus sneered. "You are overconfident, Master Karrde." He used the title like it was a filthy word.

"You remember the first rule," Steffan said as he blocked another strike and manhandled Malus to flip him around into the snow drift.

"Never take on an opponent unless you expect to win."

Grunting, the other rose to his feet once more, snow causing his robe to look bleached.

Steffan kept his eyes on him, but felt the struggle Callista was having. '_This cannot continue any longer'_. A grin spread over the other's features as he sensed Steffan's line of thought. "That one does not deserve the pleasure of living, she betrayed us..."

"Malus, you know as well as I that it all comes down to choice," Steffan told him as he held his blade high. "Sometimes, it just takes longer to make the right one."

He grunted. "Be that as it may, she still defied her oath..."

"As she did with ours," Steffan said, relaxing himself for the next move. "We can forgive...can you?"

"I cannot..." He lunged at Steffan, forcing the other back before he found himself face first in a snowdrift again. He rose, snow drifting slowly from his robe as he came at Steffan, the anger evident in his face. Steffan reacted without thought, his blade seeming to move on its own as he spun aside, and then whipped his blade around. He felt the other's Dark energy explode into the Force as he passed.

-------------------------------

Callista felt the Elder's passing wash over her, and it made her skin crawl. The three remaining Sith seemed to almost go mad as their master passed onto the Force. They rushed her, their blowns fuelled by anger and hate, they wanted her dead.

She felt Jason lending her strength through their link, and she touched his mind before diving into the raging river of the Force._ 'Thanks, Ja...'_

Her presence winked out for a second, and then it was if a star had gone nova in the center of the group. She exploded into motion, her sabers moving so fast it seemed as if a solid wall of violet light. surrounded her.

Yellow came at her again, her blade weaving in lazy circles, trying to catch Callista off guard. She saw right through it. Forcing the other's blade down, she punched her squarely in the jaw. The other passed out, but Callista felt something give in her right hand.

Red and Orange stepped over the limp body of their comrade, the glee evident in their eyes. She knew that they had every intention of seeing her dead today. She kicked out again, intending to catch Red in the chest, but he caught her ankle and twisted, flipping her over so that she landed hard on her back.

The saber flew out of her left hand as she fell, skittering across the ice, she reached for it, summoning it with the Force, but winced hard when Orange planted his foot against her wrist, forcing it against the ground. He shook his head and grinned, raising his blade above his head for the final blow. In that moment, Callist moved faster than she ever thought possible.

Her saber moved as if it had been shot from a cannon, guided by her mind and the Force, it whipped up from where it lay across the ice, and proceeded to bury itself in Orange's chest. Scissoring her legs around, she knocked his feet from under him.

Red rose above her, his crimson blade casting an ominous glow over the area. He too readied himself for the final strike, but was unprepared for what followed. Callista once again had possession of both her blades, and she batted his saber aside, and sunk both of her blades into his chest. His body fell forward, and she shut down her sabers and stepped away. Then promptly collapsed. Her body was shaking, she had never felt the Force so strongly before...it had filled her like an empty glass waiting for water.

Jason stood up. Transferring that much Force energy takes it toll on anyone. Looking over to where he expected Callista to be, all he could see was a crumpled body on the ground. _'How could I have been so wrong'_, he thought. Summoning what little strength he had, he ran to Calli's side.

Placing a arm under her shiulders raising them up so she rested on his lap, "Don't you leave me like this, you Bantha brains!"

She turned her head, "_Ja..?_"

"Don't do that!" Jason looked stunned.

"I feel like an X-wing landed on me..."

"Come on, we gotta get out of here and check on the others. Can you read them?"

"Malus is gone..." her voice trailed off. "Steffan's alright, the others are..."

"_Are what_, Calli?" Jason asked as if he wasn't sure he wanted the answers.

She struggled to focus. "They're ok..." She struggled to sit up, but lacked the strength. "Ja, help me, please..."

Placing an arm under Calli's shoulder, he helped to raise her to her feet.

She wavered for a moment. "I don't know if I'll make it Ja, I'm so tired..."

"I ain't gonna carry no dead weight so you better stay awake!" Jason responded. He then placed the palm of his free hand on Calli's forhead. Closing his eyes he tried to give what little energy he could spare himself.

Her eyes opened, and they were clear. "Thanks... Let's go find Steffan."

Looking back, Jason reached out his hand that he had just removed from Calli's forehead and called all the lightsabers that were lying around to him. Slowly filling a backpack of them and slinging it over his shoulder.

"Ja, those are Sith sabers...What are we gonna do with them?"

"Make sure no one else uses them and destroy them completely. I know what you were thinking!"


	13. The Decision

Callista and Jason slowly made their way towards Steffan, the others straggling as well. They all looked the worse for wear, battered and bruised from the battle. Callista stopped short when she saw Relan and the others from the Temple.

"Jason, I can't face them again..."

"Come on, Sis - I've a feeling things will be ok. Trust me!", Jason said under a painful and tired smile. "No one has got any fight left in them now!"

"Are you sure, Jason?"

Reaching out his hand to her, "Come. It's time."

She nodded. "Alright..."

Walking up together Jason and Callista faced the Council. Dropping the collection of Sith sabers at the Council's feet, "This is what this mess has cost us!" Throwing his own sabers at there feet. "I will not fight you!" dropping to one knee in front of them.

"If you judge me now so be it. What I did...What _we_ did here today we did because it was right and just and we had to make a stand. To bring this Council from under the spell of the Dark Side. You have been lied to for too long, and those lies have cost us dearly."

Callista stepped up beside Jason, laying a hand on his shoulder. Facing the Council as well, she spoke.

"I know that many of you still are uncertain where I stand. Know this: I stand with you against the Sith, I always have. If you judge me for my actions, I will take whatever decision the Council reaches." She too drew her sabers, and laid them at Relan's feet.

"I did kind of leave under a cloud..." Jason glanced a wicked look across to Calli.

Relan stood before Jason and Callista, looking somewhat puzzled. "Both of your actions have been questionable at best. Against the Council's mandates at worst. We shall all spend time reflecting on what has happened these past few days, and how we have got to this juncture. Till that time, no one will be held aginst their will."

That drew a surprised look from Callista.

"The council is wise and I for one am glad the force has allowed us all to return to the Light. I place myself freely at the collective councils call and will gladly answer all questions pertaining to this incident. May I respectfully suggest we tend to the tired and injured. Reflection can be done at leisure.", Jason stated. Looking over at Callista, "Their actions, as were yours, had been tainted by the tendrils of the Dark Side. It had been building for some time. If you had not broken free slightly, I would not have been able to pull you back!"

She nodded, and bowed her head at that. "I too have things to reflect on. May we all learn from this..."

Jason turned to the bag of lightsabers he had collected from the Sith. "Who has a blaster?" Jason asked. Falco raised his hand. "I do, sir." He drew it, tossing it to Jason.

Jason reached up and caught the blaster. "Thanks, Falco. I stand before you with a blaster in my hand. I hold this weapon - not as a tool to take life, but to preserve it. May the force be my guide." Turning the blaster to the bag of Sith sabers, he fired three shots at it. The bag burst into flames, turning its contents to smoking ruins.

Jason tossed the blaster back to Falco, "Thank you." Jason turned towards where their droids had landed their ships. "I don't know about anyone else but I would like to go home now!"

Steffan nodded. "As do we all." He turned to Jason and Callista. "I would like you two to take your fighters up to the Council flagship, we have quarters reserved for you there."

Jason looked over to Callista -"Come on-lets go home!" She smiled. "I am so ready to go home!" She bowed to Steffan and the Council, following Jason as he made his way to their fighters. As the sun set over the snowy waste of Illum, the two fighters slowly lifted skyward and home.

THE END


End file.
